Speeding Motorcyclist Caught By His Own Use of Technology, Stupidity

By Chuck Sudo in News on Jun 12, 2014 1:40PM

Remember the lyrics to the theme song from the 70s TV show “Baretta?” “Don’t do the crime if you can’t do the time?” In the Information Age that should be amended to “don’t document the crime because your dumb ass will eventually get caught.”

That’s what happened to a speeding motorcyclist who used a camera mounted to his bike to record his attempts to goad a suburban cop into chasing him two years ago. Hamza Ali Ben Ali pulled this stunt October 2012 in Westmont when he attached a camera to his motorcycle to record his joyride. Ali attracted the attention of a police cruiser, who broke off his pursuit of Ali as the motorcycle reached speeds of up to 115 MPH.

One reason the officer broke off his pursuit of Ali was concern for the safety of other motorists. The other was he noticed the camera mounted to Ali’s bike and assumed the video would eventually make its way online.

Sure enough, this popped up two weeks later on YouTube.

Ali was arrested but his attorneys argued the video didn't place him on the motorcycle. Ali, however, is facing federal immigration proceedings and was wearing a GPS tracking anklet at the time of the chase. Prosecutors in his trial were able to match data from the anklet with locations in the video.

Ali was convicted last month in DuPage County of aggravated fleeing and eluding police and driving with a suspended license. He was previously convicted in Cook County for aggravated battery against a police officer and possession of a stolen motor vehicle. Ali also faces a similar charge in Will County.

Take it away, Sammy.

[Tribune]